News

On Thursday, 8 December, Czech Radio presented the technological development of the public service broadcaster in the coming years on the floor of the Senate. The project is simply called Strategy 27. DAB+ will be the main distribution platform for the next period, until 2027, and will continue to expand its coverage. In the case of linear terrestrial distribution, Czech Radio is building on VHF (FM) broadcasting, but this can no longer be strengthened. In the coming period, the focus for public institutions will be on improving the reception of DAB+ digital broadcasts, especially indoors. It has already implemented the first of its steps in this direction at the end of November.

Graham Dixon writes: "Occasionally, stepping back from bite-size reports that encourage quick decision-making and taking a broader view makes perfect sense, and that exactly is what Rai has done. The introduction of new devices and attendant innovation is accelerating at a bewildering pace. Specifically, Rai asks what the response of public media should be to this new “ecosystem” — questions that seem relevant to the whole radio/audio industry. The report first looks in detail at the Italian audio market, including the adoption of devices, the presence of the tech giants, the rise of podcasting and future perspectives. It then opens the window to the wider world to examine Europe and North America, drawing together the latest research from different sources. Finally, it looks at what this may mean for the Italian public service; naturally, those challenges are not unique."

"Radio is and remains an indispensable component of an overall warning system for the population, but there is still a lot to do." This is the conclusion of today's warning day from the perspective of the broadcasting network operators "Milling Broadcast Services GmbH" and "RegionalRadioBW". Both tested the warning functionalities of the digital radio standard DAB+ today in parts of Rhineland-Palatinate (Bad Kreuznach region), Baden-Württemberg (Heilbronn-Stuttgart) and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Rostock).

On the nationwide warning day, DAB+ digital terrestrial broadcasting proved to be an important, robust and reliable channel for transmitting messages in the event of a crisis. The alerting via the so-called "MoWaS" system of the federal government, the transmitting equipment and signal paths worked flawlessly as expected. Public and private stations participated editorially and in some cases with test and active alarm messages.

Media DAB, the Italian consortium of local radio stations and WorldDAB member, is carrying out an advertising campaign for the month of December to thank the more than 100 radio stations that have joined their consortium. Full colour pages will be published in the national daily newspaper 'Milano Finanza' (leader in financial and economic information) and banners in online broadcast periodicals including newslinet.it and fm-world.it.

Südwestrundfunk (SWR) has improved DAB+ reception on the Moselle. The new Traben-Trarbach transmitter improves the indoor coverage of the multiplex on channel 11A. The private radio stations RPR.1, bigFM and Rockland Radio also benefit from the expansion.

Czech Radio is cooperating with Prima TV to promote DAB+ digital radio broadcasting. As part of an information campaign deployed before the Christmas holidays, viewers on FTV Prima can come across a special application under the virtual red button, HbbTV technology. The DAB+ digital radio promotion will also appear directly on air. If the viewer is hit by an advertising campaign promoting digital radio via HbbTV, a large box will appear on the bottom right corner of the screen with the unmistakable information "Radio can do more now".

Belgium's Tomorrowland One World Radio is slowly but surely continuing its international conquest. New since this month is a major DAB+ 'deal' for German-speaking Switzerland, which means the radio service can now be listened to across almost all of Switzerland via digital airwaves. The latest jewel in the crown, since 1 December, is a licence for German-speaking Switzerland through Zurich-based My105 DJ Radio from Giuseppe Scaglione (founder and managing director) and Paola Libera (co-owner and marketing manager).

Exeter has a suite of new radio stations broadcasting exclusively to the city and surrounding area, following the launch of a DAB transmitter network. Exeter is one of the first of 25 locations around the country to be selected in the first round of such networks which enable new radio stations to broadcast to relatively small areas. Last year broadcast regulator Ofcom awarded the licence to operate the service to local company ExeDab, which is led by Devon’s commercial station Radio Exe and Exeter’s community station Phonic FM. Launched on 1 December, eight stations are now broadcasting on high-quality stereo DAB+ to an area of around 150 square miles around Exeter. and reaching around 135,000 adults.

GatesAir has applied the technology unveiled last year in its Maxiva PMTX-1 outdoor transmitter series for UHF TV broadcasters to DAB radio. Gates says the PMTX-1’s rugged, telecom-grade enclosure makes it impervious to weather elements, with adaptability to any climate or outdoor environment thanks to its sealed protective shell. In Europe, the PMTX-1 simplifies DAB broadcast service for tunnels, complex terrain that limits coverage, and areas shadowed by buildings and other obstacles.